General elections were held in
Tuvalu on 26 March 1998. As there were no political parties, all candidates for the 12 seats ran as independents, with seven of the incumbents retaining their seats. Following the election,
Bikenibeu Paeniu was re-elected Prime Minister.
Background
On 18 December 1997 the parliament was dissolved and the general election was held on 26 March 1998. During the election campaign, candidates from the incumbent government and the opposition traded allegations of sexual and financial misconduct.
Results
Seven incumbent members were re-elected, including
Bikenibeu Paeniu,
Otinielu Tausi,
Ionatana Ionatana
Ionatana Ionatana, CVO OBE CPM (5 November 1938 – 8 December 2000), was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He represented the constituency of Funafuti in the Parliament of Tuvalu. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Tuva ...
,
Tomasi Puapua and
Alesana Seluka
Alesana Kleis Seluka (MBE, CBE) is medical doctor by profession and is the Chairman of the Public Service Commission of Tuvalu. He represented the constituency of Nui in the Parliament of Tuvalu. He served as the Minister of Finance and Economi ...
, and opposition MPs
Koloa Talake
Koloa Fineaso Talake (7 June 1934 – 26 May 2008) was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He represented the constituency of Vaitupu in the Parliament of Tuvalu from 1993. He served as Minister of Finance (1993-96) and was th ...
and
Faimalaga Luka.
Two members of previous parliaments were elected, including
Kokea Malua of
Nanumea,
while three members were new to parliament;
Lagitupu Tuilimu of Nanumea,
Teleke Peleti Lauti of
Funafuti and
Samuelu Teo of
Niutao.
Former Prime Minister
Kamuta Latasi, who represented Funafuti, lost his seat.
Aftermath
Paeniu was re-elected Prime Minister on 8 April, defeating Koloa Talake by a vote of 10–2.
He subsequently announced the formation of a cabinet consisting of Ionatana Ionatana as Minister for Health, Women and Community Affairs and Minister for Education and Culture, Alesana Kleis Seluka as Minister for Tourism, Trade and Commerce and Minister Finance and Economic Planning, Otinielu Tausi as Minister of Works, Energy and Communications and
Kokea Malua as Minister for Natural Resources and the Environment, Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development and Deputy Prime Minister.
Tomu Sione
Sir Tomu Malaefone Sione (17 November 1941 – April 2016) was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He worked as a journalist from 1962 to 1968, and held the post of radio announcer in the Broadcasting and Information Depar ...
was appointed as
Speaker.
Paeniu later resigned following a
motion of no confidence on 27 April 1999. Ionatana was subsequently elected Prime Minister on 27 April.
He died on 8 December 2000.
was acting prime minister from 8 December 2000 to 24 February 2001,
with
Faimalaga Luka becoming Prime Minister on 23 February 2001.
Luka's government lasted until December the same year, when he lost office as the consequence of another motion of no confidence.
On 13 December the former
Minister of Finance Koloa Talake
Koloa Fineaso Talake (7 June 1934 – 26 May 2008) was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He represented the constituency of Vaitupu in the Parliament of Tuvalu from 1993. He served as Minister of Finance (1993-96) and was th ...
was appointed Prime Minister.
References
{{Tuvaluan elections
Tuvalu
Elections in Tuvalu
Election
Non-partisan elections
Election and referendum articles with incomplete results